Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

They can't catch a break

A Royal pain for cruisers
BY DEREK ROSE and JIMMY VIELKIND
DAILY NEWS WRITERS
Monday, July 25th, 2005

More than 3,000 Royal Caribbean passengers with tickets to sail yesterday for balmy Bermuda were told their trip had been suddenly rerouted - to the Great White North.
"We thought it was a joke. We have our snorkels and fins, but I don't think we'll be using them. There are no coral reefs up there," said Adam Tanalski, 52, an assistant principal at Bryant High School in Queens, who was unhappy to be Canada-bound.

Officials blamed the Voyager of the Seas' abrupt route change on Tropical Storm Franklin, which is making the southern seas too choppy to travel.

The five-day excursion now is scheduled to stop at Halifax, in Nova Scotia, and St. John, in New Brunswick.

Royal Caribbean cruise lines posted a notice on its Web site Saturday night, but many passengers didn't find out until yesterday when they showed up at the pier in Bayonne, N.J., to set sail.

"We are left with no choice but to sail a modified itinerary," a flyer given to passengers declared. "We apologize for this unexpected alteration to your cruise. Thank you for your understanding."

The forecasted low temperature in Bermuda for today is 78 degrees. In Halifax, it's 51.

"I'm standing here in Jersey where it's warmer than where you're sending me!" Lisa Ruocchio, 48, of Queens, yelled into her cell phone to a customer service representative.

A travel agent who books cruises said last-minute itinerary changes were not uncommon during hurricane season, but that it was atypical to sail in the opposite direction.

"Simple common sense dictates that you cannot sail a ship with over 3,000 guests into a known tropical storm, which may become a hurricane," said Michael Sheehan, a spokesman for Royal Caribbean.

With limited destinations to choose from, company officials approved a cruise to Canada to avoid a "cruise to nowhere," Sheehan said.

Tickets ranged from $550 to well above $1,000, but refunds are given only in "special circumstances on a case-by-case basis," Sheehan said.

"It's ridiculous! Hot to cold!" said Joseph Fugaro, 65, of New Jersey, who booked the cruise with his kids and grandchildren. "If I wanted to go to Canada, I would've booked a cruise to Canada."

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

I know. I posted on Brians thread this morning when I heard it on the news. I hope its not.

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

OMG I hope not!

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

Oh nooooooooooooooo I so hope it was not their cruise

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

Bummer!!!

That's why we are taking a cruise --- to Alaska!! Carribbean is too iffy this tiume of year...

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

oh man, i hope not! they have had enough trouble in mexico. i hope its not them!

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

OMG I hope it is not them......

I do know someone on that cruise though..my BILs FILS are on that trip...they were POed that they got rerouted

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

i understand that they can't sail to these places because of the storms but Canada? All these people brought clothes for warm weather.

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

Oh no! I hope it's not their cruise

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

I am pretty sure that is their cruise
I feel sooo bad for them.

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

Oh NO! These 2 can't catch a break I hope that they have a great time regardless

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

One of my best friends is on this cruise. She had to repack early yesterday morning...I felt so bad. She really wanted to go to bermuda!

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

I was just in Halifax--It's actually really nice this time of year. Different than Bermuda of course, but they probably wouldn't be happy caught in the middle of a hurricane either.

Cruises this time of year can be tricky. I hope they enjoy their trip anyway.

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

OMG!!!! I will just die if its their cruise! I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS!!!

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

do we know if they are definitely on this cruise??

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

Didn't they book this trip because Brianne was so upset with how Mexico went? I HOPE they are on a different cruise!

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

Oh no!! I really hope this isn't their cruise!

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

OMG, how unbelievable.
I feel so terrible.
I really hope it wasn't them.

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

Well i am pretty sure that is them. They were leaving from NJ going to Bermuda on the same cruise line.

But i will still keep my fingers crossed

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

Posted by Redhead

Well i am pretty sure that is them. They were leaving from NJ going to Bermuda on the same cruise line.

But i will still keep my fingers crossed

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

Well if it is them I hope they make the best of it & have a really good time

Re: Oh no, I think this was the trip Brian and Brianne are on

oh, please, God, let it NOT be their cruise